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A nice place to discuss rumors, happenings, innovations, and challenges in the technology sphere. We also welcome discussions on the intersections of technology and society. If it’s technological news or discussion of technology, it probably belongs here.

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114

Cancel Amazon Prime [2021] (archive.ph)

submitted 1 year ago by trashhalo@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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Amazon Prime is a remarkable success but also dystopian. It has made convenience and speed the norm, habituating consumers to buy more products. Prime's flywheel effect - where more customers lead to more data and scale which attracts more customers - has fueled Amazon's dominance. Prime subscribers spend twice as much and Amazon's value has multiplied 97 times since 2005. While canceling Prime may not hurt Amazon, it can benefit local businesses by gaining a new customer. However, Prime has rewired how people think about what is possible to obtain and how fast, making a Prime-free life unimaginable for many.

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[–] Evergreen5970@beehaw.org 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

What are people buying that they need same-day arrival from Prime instead of waiting 5-7 days? Do people get their medicine and groceries off of Amazon? Or is it just convenience?

Of course, I’m able to say this because I never got Prime in the first place so I never acclimated to same-day shipping and thus never got attached to it. When I had to order off Amazon, just wait and bundle with other items for free shipping anyways, no extra money sent off to get Prime. And they were never important enough that I needed them right now. I could wait.

I’m extremely motivated by convenience, so I’m no better, I just so happen to be able to say “no” to Amazon now because I never let it too far into my life in the first place.